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Help Uncle Sam Stamp Out The Kaiser

This poster is called “Help Uncle Sam Stamp out The Kaiser!” This poster was released in World War I circa 1917 by Harry Bressler (Universal Libraries Digital Media Repositories) and was made to involve the American masses in the first world war. It was published by the United States Printing and Lithograph Co. in New York (Universal Libraries Digital Media Repositories). The audience intended for this was the American working people who may not want to or be able to fight in the war.

While the United States had many soldiers involved they needed the support of the population and monetary aid to support British and French on the Western Front. The poster depicts Uncle Sam’s boot about to squish Kaiser Wilhelm II. At this time Germany still had a Kaiser leading them with the united country still young being a little over 40 years old. It depicts a weak and cowardly German Kaiser Wilhelm II and made to look as if America’s power is vastly superior with the power to defeat Germany with the help of the people.

Both Germany and the United States were the most industrialized countries on the planet having the largest economies as well. There will always be tension between large entities. Prior to America’s involvement there had been many incidents to convince Americans to join the war on the side of the Allies. Incidents such as the Zimmerman telegram and the sinking of the Lusitania had Americans outraged at the German government and more willing to join the Allies and defeat this threat to them. The public opinion was very anti-German even among the German-Americans who the Germans falsely assumed would join the war effort on their side (Jowett and O’donnell, 241).

By using the recent memories the poster would have the American people want to be involved in the war in any way combative or non combative. This war would be America’s first total war internationally and set up its’ future propaganda campaign in the second World War. This would be essentially the Worker’s version of the “I Want You For The U.S. Army” poster focusing on the homefront. In order to fund such a total war the government would need the money of people. The money raised would “be used to pay the soldiers, feed the soldiers, and pay for the oil and gas used by, tanks, planes, ships, cares, and more.” (Hayk Papoyan) America would be able to help the allies much more with more funds, troops, and weapons.

Propaganda in the first world war was some of America’s earliest international propaganda and can be seen as a workshop to perfect their propaganda campaigns in future conflicts such as the Second World War. The poster’s campaign was vital to the United States and can be attributed for funding America’s doughboys to help the allies defeat the Central powers.